Sometime this weekend, surrounded by his beloved wife and children, a terminally ill grandfather will bid them a final goodbye. And then he will signal for his doctors to legally end his life with a lethal injection.

He will be the first person in Ontario granted the right to do so. He hopes he is not the last.

“My only regret in these last months is that my family and I have had to expend what little energy I have left to fight this court battle,” the 81-year-old man said, thanking the judge in a message read by his lawyer, Andrew Faith. “My wish is that our government will see fit to make permanent changes in the law so that no other family will have to do this ever again.”

And yet — should it be simple? His application took three weeks to be heard and approved. For such a serious decision, should it become a matter of course?

Known only as A.B., his identity protected by a court-imposed publication ban, he successfully won the right to die in Ontario Superior Court Thursday under the strange no man’s land that now exists in the law. In February 2015, the Supreme Court struck down laws prohibiting physician-assisted suicide as unconstitutional and gave Parliament a year to draft new legislation. Because of the federal election, the high court agreed to give Ottawa a four-month extension.

But until that date — June 6, 2016 — the Supreme Court also said it would allow those dying under insufferable, painful conditions the right to apply to their provincial superior court for a constitutional exemption allowing them a physician-assisted suicide. So far, there have been successful applications in Alberta and Manitoba. A.B. is the first in Ontario. His lawyer says there are more cases pending here.

A.B. was not in the downtown courtroom to witness the emotional decision delivered by a judge who had to pause often to regain his composure.

“He no longer has control over his bowels and bladder,” he finally continued. “He cannot stand or sit without assistance. He is mentally alert and lucid, but he cannot manage any activities.”

His hematologist, palliative care physician and geriatric psychiatrist all examined him and found he meets the criteria envisioned by the Supreme Court — a competent adult with a “grievous irremediable medical condition (including an illness, disease or disability) that causes enduring suffering that is intolerable to the individual.”

From his affidavit, he sounds like such a special man. “My life was filled with many activities. I am a history buff and a voracious reader. I am also an avid soccer, baseball and hockey fan. I cherish memories of watching games with my children. I admit to being a bit of a romantic and wrote poetry for my family to mark special occasions,” he wrote.

His body now betrays him: The excruciating pain that radiates down his spine cannot be alleviated by any medication. “I have become a skeleton of the man I was.”

And so he chooses death with his eyes wide open.

“For all of my love of life, I do not fear death,” he said. “In the early stages of the disease I fought back hard as long as there was hope for recovery … Only when the pain became too much to bear and it became evident that there was no positive outcome did I turn my focus to managing my own death.”

A.B.’s lawyer told the court his client’s condition is deteriorating. “He would like to be in a position to avail himself of this relief this weekend.”

His wish granted, the courtroom hung heavy with sadness and respect. No one could argue that the suffering of this terminally ill man should continue if he has chosen — with sound mind — that he doesn’t want to live like this anymore. That is his right, his choice.

But his is a straightforward case. What about those that are not?

Statement made by A.B. to the court, via his lawyer:

“I want to thank the court for the ruling today. This decision allows me, with the support of caring doctors, to die with dignity and relieves me from the mental and physical pain should I so choose. But what is really most important is that it allows me to be in control of when and how my journey will end. This is a right of human dignity and I am thankful I no longer have to live under a cloud of stigma and shame that I feel as I slowly and painfully lose control. I have had a good life, an exciting life, and one that I lovingly shared with my wife and my children, my grandson and my other grandchildren. I have no regrets about that,

“My only regret in these last months is that my family and I have had to expend what little energy I have left to fight this court battle. My wish is that our government will see fit to make permanent changes in the law so that no other family will have to do this ever again. I believe firmly in the right to die with dignity and that it is a right that should be available to all Canadians to exercise according to their circumstances and beliefs.

“My decisions about next steps will be made in private by me with the support of my doctors and my family.”

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